4 Victims Identified, 9 Confirmed Dead In FL Condo Collapse

SURFSIDE, FL — Officials have identified four victims who died after a partial collapse of the 12-story Champlain Towers South Condo in Surfside Thursday. A fifth body was recovered from the site Saturday, and The Associated Press and others have confirmed nine total deaths.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said 152 people remain unaccounted for during a Saturday evening news conference.

The family of the victims who have been identified were notified Saturday, she added. By late Saturday night, Miami-Dade police shared the names of the four victims on social media.

Among those who died are Antonio Lozano, 83, and his wife, Gladys Lozano, 79, who lived in apartment 903, and Manuel LaFont, 54, who lived in apartment 804.

The family of Stacie Fang, who police say lived in apartment 1002, previously identified her as one of those killed in the building collapse. Fang's son, 15-year-old Jonah Handler, was pulled alive from the disaster, the Miami Herald reported.

"There are no words to describe the tragic loss of our beloved Stacie. The members of the Fang and Handler family would like to express our deepest appreciation for the outpouring of sympathy, compassion and support we have received. The many heartfelt words of encouragement and love have served as a much needed source of strength during this devastating time," the family said in a statement.

Levine Cava said officials have been gathering DNA samples from family members to assist in the identification process moving forward. This allows them to conduct rapid DNA testing on site as they recover bodies from the devastation, she said Saturday.

Search-and-rescue workers still believe they could find people alive in the rubble, she added.

“Our top priority continues to be search and rescue, and saving any lives that we can, and our brave firefighters are telling us that that’s the right thing to do,” she said.

Work continues nonstop at the site Sunday. First responders were able to “make some progress” Saturday on a fire at the collapsed building that was hampering search efforts, Levine Cava said. Rescuers also swept the rubble pile with K9 dogs and tried to minimize their use of heavy equipment at the site.

Shifting debris caused the fire to break out Thursday afternoon. It was extinguished within 20 minutes, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Assistant Fire Chief Ray Jadallah said. The fire reignited overnight Friday.

It’s been difficult to isolate the fire’s source and stop it, Levine Cava added, noting that “the smoke, itself, is the biggest barrier.”

First responders have been using infrared technology, foam and water to try to contain the fire and to prevent the smoke from spreading.

Also on Friday, a team of scientists and engineers from the same federal agency that investigated the fall of the Twin Towers on 9/11 arrived in Surfside, the Miami Herald reported. The team's goal is to determine whether to launch a full investigation into the condo's collapse and also determine what exactly went wrong.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology, a sub-agency of the Department of Commerce, usually investigates disasters that result in a “substantial loss of life,” a spokeswoman told the Herald.

Levine Cava called for “a full and thorough investigation” of the Champlain Towers collapse.

In the meantime the county’s Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources will launch an audit of all county building 40 years and older.

“We want to be sure every building has completed their recertification process,” the mayor said.

The county will work with building owners to remediate any issues that were documented during that process.

Extra scrutiny will be given to all buildings by the same developer at Champlain Towers and safety inspections will be conducted, she said.

There is a sister building to Champlain Towers from the same developer in Surfside. Gov. Ron DeSantis also said that an evacuation of this building is being considered.

Champlain Tower was built in 1981 by the late Miami Beach developer Nathan Reiber, according to The Real Deal.

The town of Surfside has released all records related to the condo tower, including its preliminary review plans. These documents can be found here.

To assist residents and families affected by the building’s collapse, a hardship fund, SupportSurfside.org, has been established. The Coral Gables Community Foundation, The Key Biscayne Community Foundation and The Miami Foundation are working together to handle the fund, which is taking donations through the website.

Another fundraiser has been set up by The Shul of Bal Harbour through an online fundraising tool, The Chesed Fund. With a goal of raising $1 million, so far more than $680,000 has been donated.

A family reunification center has been set up at 9301 Collins Ave. for anyone seeking unaccounted for or missing relatives. Those with family members who are unaccounted for or are safe are asked to call 305-614-1819 to account for them. To report a missing person or fill out a wellness check form for residents of the condo building, visit www.miamidade.gov/emergency.

See Related Stories:

• Family Identifies FL Condo Collapse Victim, 4 Dead, 159 Missing
• 5 Things To Know About The Surfside Condo Collapse
• 2 Chicago Men Among Those Missing In Florida Building Collapse
• Condo Collapse: FIU Professor Found Surfside Building Had Been Sinking For Decades
• Condo Collapse: Champlain Towers In Surfside Was Due For 40-Year Inspection
• CBS4's Eliott Rodriguez One On One With Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz
• Former Miami-Dade Fire Chief Dave Downey On Rescue Efforts
• President Biden Declares State Of Emergency In Florida After Surfside Condo Collapse
• ‘I'm Hopeful That We'll Find People Alive Under All This Rubble' Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett On Condo Collapse Search & Rescue
• Deadly Building Collapse: What Went Wrong?
• Condo Collapse: Some Family Members Feeling Frustrated With Search, Rescue Efforts
• City Of Surfside Releases Documents Related To Collapsed Condo